


The Sage Of Alum-Kah Subdues The Masked Daeva

by aldonza



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, M/M, Once Upon Another Time, Pharoga - Freeform, YES this is a 'Havoc in Heaven' JTTW AU fusion, specifically the part where Erlang Shen fights Sun Wukong, there is one other person who will get as much a kick out of this as me (you know who you are)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23271022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aldonza/pseuds/aldonza
Summary: “Son of heaven, I bring you a poem of the western Hu. From the Silk Road, I return with a tale of the blossom court.”This hymn tells how the empire of the west was nearly toppled by a faceless demon and how he was subdued by the Heavenly Captain, Vanguard of the Divine Shah.(Or, the pharoga AU based on ch. 6 of “Journey to the West”; Written for @a-partofthenarrative's Once Upon Another Time phandom challenge)
Relationships: Erik | Phantom of the Opera/The Persian
Comments: 18
Kudos: 12





	The Sage Of Alum-Kah Subdues The Masked Daeva

**Author's Note:**

> I've always wanted the chance to write this and I finally found the perfect chance to conflate my hyperinterests into a single outlet haha! Then I saw the Once Upon Another Time project on tumblr and I *knew* what I had to do. Also, after 2 consecutive angsty pharoga phics, I wanted to do something lighter!
> 
> Written for @a-partofthenarrative's "Once Upon Another Time" challenge/event: "Select a fairy tale/myth/legend that interests you and adapt it with POTO characters/setting/themes. Other than that, there are no boundaries!"
> 
> Warning: attempted poetry

Chapter 7: The Godly Shadow Calls Upon the Captain of Alum-Kah, The Faceless Villain Is Subdued

[ _ The following is a translated passage from Cheng Bai-Xing’s edited volume of  _ **_Western Dreams of The Blossom Court_ ** _ , first transliterated by an anonymous scholar in mid-Tang c. 735 AD for the emperor’s amusement  _ [13] _ See Emperor Xuanzong. Originally thought to be an oral tale from the Silk Road, later academics deemed the epic to be a series of mistranslations and cobbled myths. Here, we present the most famous edition in the English language, translated by Dr. Daae, 1881, reprinted 1964. _ ]

This story tells how rebellion broke through in the kingdom of Ma-Zanda-Ran, domain of the Divine Shah and his heavenly court. As fire raged across mortal seas and the land of Bo-Si, the Divine Shah sat upon his rose throne and heard the earthly messenger speak. The roses in attendance bloomed, their petals unfurling to reveal the Shah’s eighty-four wives. Faces framed with silky hair, each wife turned to hear the messenger speak:

“Oh, Shadow of god, I beseech you,   
In times of despair,   
Tell your men what to do,   
Against this demon’s threat.   
Beneath woods deep,   
This daeva in mask white,   
Sings of death and calls for war,   
He commands the devils underground,   
And mighty is his wicked reach,   
This faceless fiend with that voice divine,    
Once more he has bested our armies,   
And claimed the woods for his own.”

The Divine Shah listened closely and said, “What reason have I to fear this daeva? What quarrel does he have with us in heaven?” The messenger bowed, and as the prettiest wife grinned in her rosy seat, he said, “Remember, some years past, when you summoned a demon to please your wives? He expected you to offer him a place among the roses but you cast him out instead. Now he intends to conquer Ma-Zanda-Ran for himself and his terrible minions.” The little wife laughed and said, “Ah, yes! I remember him! What an ugly thing he was:

Parchment skin on bony brow,   
A nose no more than shriveled hole,   
And eyes of yellow sunken in,   
The face of a corpse on bone,   
Surely even a mother could not love,   
But what gifts he had,   
And such a song he sang.”

The messenger stepped away and the Divine Shah mulled over what he’d said. If this was indeed the daeva he recalled, its powers were indeed great. If even his armies could not take the tyrant down, there was only one man he could call. “Summon my nephew, the heavenly captain, who resides on earth. Make haste and do not delay.”

The messenger descended to the earth. At the grand estate atop Mount Alam-Kuh, he found the Captain taking tea, a cap of fur atop his head. His great hound, Darius the howling dog, knelt by his side. The earthly servant bowed and said, “Oh Illustrious one, your uncle calls you to court. He is most pressed for your help.” The Captain sighed and replied, “My uncle banished me to earth. Surely he has no use for me now. Why not call on that daeva his wife was so fond of?” At that, the messenger said, “It is that very same daeva he needs you to subdue.”

Then the earthly messenger returned to the Divine Shah. The captain had refused. In a fit, the Shah sent him back, and again, the captain refused. This happened a good three times before the Divine Shah offered the captain a pardon and return to court. Then, having considered the offer, the Heavenly Captain agreed. He donned his armor and took his sword, prepared to bring his uncle the demon’s head.

Elsewhere, the Masked Daeva plotted, his army of outcast beasts at his beck and call. Indeed, he:

Planned to usurp the Shah’s rose throne,   
With his mask of splendid tricks,   
As vengeance for the king that cast him out,   
When they lured him in and broke his heart,   
This pitiful creature with cursed face,   
Behind a shroud of black lace.

If he could not be accepted by the beautiful immortals above, then so be it. They had called him the trapdoor lover and told him he held a position fitting his gifts. Liars! The Divine Shah and his rose wives had wanted him as an entertainer and nothing more. He was worth much more than some court jester. He would force them to serve him instead. These wicked thoughts in mind, the Masked Daeva serenaded his mindless beasts. Then a deep voice boomed, “Villain, stop! If you wish to keep your head, give up now. Have you any idea who I am?”

Who could it be? 

A handsome gent with eyes jade,   
On his shoulder a cape of wool black,   
His armor plated gold,   
And a sword drawn in his just hand,   
It was the Divine Shah’s nephew,   
Outcast for speaking against the blossom court,   
The Vanguard of Mount Alum-Kah,   
None other than the Heavenly Captain. Ah!

The Masked Daeva rolled his eyes, and sneering, said, “So the old fool sends his kin after me? I know full well who you are and I could care less for your exiled hide.” He laughed to himself. Fuming, the Heavenly Captain said, “Then draw your weapon, monster. And we shall see whose hide prevails!”

The Masked Daeva called off his beasts. Then he pulled out his coil of rope, that enchanted noose of red. He glared at the captain and said:

“They call me the prince of conjurers,   
Lover of traps and living death,   
A dimwitted soldier like you stands no chance,   
Against my talents vast.”

The Heavenly Captain replied, “You sing a mighty boast! But your reign ends here and I will bring you back in chains.”

This is how the next hymn goes:

The Masked Daeva flew into the woods,   
His shadow all the vanguard’s eyes could reach,   
And as sword met rope,   
The Heavenly Captain pursued that villain,   
Until he cornered the demon at a mountain’s end,   
When he drew his blade and struck,   
Meeting the lasso whenever he thrust,   
For twelve days and nights they fought,   
An enraged hunter and tricky prey,   
A hundred so rounds passing between,   
This battle of wicked gold and godly green.

From behind, the Masked Daeva wrapped his rope around the Heavenly Captain’s neck. But the captain had raised his hand to the level of his eyes. Blocking that noose, he said, “Vile fiend, your time is near.”

The Heavenly Captain drew his sword once more. He struck at the rope’s end, nearly cutting it in half. The masked fiend pulled away in time, and shroud fluttering, dove into the mist above. While the captain searched high and low, the Masked Daevea said to himself, “This heavenly dog is more of a challenge than I first thought. I’m at my wit’s end here. It might be best to retreat for now.”

But a villain’s heart is most restless,   
When he desires to act reckless.

The prince of conjurers spun away from where he hid, and thinking himself clever, cast a spell on that white mask. With this enchantment, he donned the face of the Heavenly Captain and arrived at his palace on Mount Alum-Kah. The captain’s attendants were none the wiser and let him through. “What fools!” the masked fiend thought. Then he:

Wandered through Alum-Kah’s grand halls,   
Spilling ink on wall and rug,   
Setting fire to the candles he passed,   
Cackling in glee as he desecrated,   
And destroyed all in sight to put the god in his place,   
Petty vengeance for the captain’s chase,

Then the Heavenly Captain, the True Vanguard, returned. He could not help laughing at the sight he met. His palace was in ruins, all because of that daeva’s poor temper! Surely, he would make the villain pay. “Come out!” he cried, “I know you’re here, monster!”

The Masked Daeva appeared, and shedding his disguise, said, “Why must I answer to you? Can you not see, little captain? I’ve taken Alum-Kah. You ought to answer to a new master now.”

Enraged, the captain said, “Wicked creature! How dare you? Draw your weapon and fight me now!”

The Masked Daeva laughed. He set fire to the palace on Alum-Kah and again escaped into the mist outside. The Heavenly Captain followed and when he saw the demon enchant his mask, said to himself, “What a humbug he is! Allow me to match his wit.”

This is how the next hymn goes:

The clever daeva turned himself into a great fox,   
The Heavenly Captain enchanted his cape,   
And turned into a wolf with snapping jaws,   
He pursued the Masked Daeva at each turn,   
Becoming hawk when he turned bird,   
Tiger when he turned fish,   
Bear when he turned cat,   
Pursuing the fiend through mist and wood,   
Until neither knew where he stood.

Rather irritated with the captain’s persistence, the Masked Daeva decided to stop this game once and for all. He cast a spell on his mask again and became the shape of a woodland shrine. “That fool will walk right past,” he thought.

Indeed, the Heavenly Captain did walk past. But he stopped and looked the shrine up and down. Since when did a shrine need a shroud atop its roof? He tapped the white cloth and thought, “This shrine might as well be wearing a mask. Ah, this must be another of his tricks.”

Drawing his sword, the Heavenly Captain stabbed a slab of wood. The enchantment came undone and the Masked Daeva fell to his feet with a cry of pain. He clutched his knee and said angrily, “It will be a bad lookout for you! A bad lookout for you and the rest of the rosy court!” At that, the captain laughed and said, “No, my friend- it will be a bad lookout for you instead.”

Still fuming, the daeva rose and disappeared into the shape of a raven black. Sheathing his sword, the Heavenly Captain conjured his quiver and bow. He readied his arrow and let the shot fly out. Then:

The vanguard’s arrow pierced the demon’s wing,   
And the Masked Daeva fell with a shout of hurt,   
Again himself as he smashed earth,   
The noose uncoiled as the captain attacked,   
And the daeva whipped his arrows back,   
For a good hundred or so rounds more,   
Another three days and nights they fought,   
Each hoping to best his foe before sun returned,   
And victory would be well-earned.

And just when it seemed their weapons were locked, the masked villain conjured a grasshopper of clay and a scorpion of bronze. He set them on the Heavenly Captain and said, “You best be careful! The grasshopper hops jolly high!” The objects caught on the captain’s limbs, and as his bow fell away, the daeva laughed, overjoyed that he’d won at last.

Pride is the sin of men,   
Downfall of all then.

Distracted by his victory, the prince of conjurers did not see the clouds part behind his head. The earthly messenger himself looked out, and deciding to aid the Heavenly Captain, tossed a disc of silver down. It collided with the Masked Daeva’s head, and as he fell, Darius the great hound clamped his jaws into the demon’s calf.

“Damn you!” the Masked Daeva hissed, “let go of me!”

As Darius carried on with his assault, that wounded daeva helpless to his bites, the Heavenly Captain looked to the messenger and said, “What is the meaning of this? I did not ask for your help!” The messenger said, “His majesty wished me to assist. Please chain that devil up and bring him in.”

The Heavenly Captain removed Darius from the daeva’s form. He scolded his hound first. Then he scooped the demon into his arms, the daeva since passed out. And carrying him away, he said to the messenger, “Tell my uncle to find himself another man! If he does not believe I can win, then I’ve no reason to trust him!”

This is how the next hymn goes:

The arrogant god of Alum-Kah did not wait,   
To hear the rose court speak,   
He sent the howling dog to guard his home,   
And hid himself among the deepest green,   
With the bested daeva in his divine embrace,   
They reached a hollow in a mighty tree,   
Filled with hay and disguised by mist,   
Inside he cut away the daeva’s shroud and felt it pull,   
Dressed his wounds and tucked him in that cape of wool.

The Heavenly Captain bound his daeva’s limbs with the red noose. It would be a pity if the demon escaped after all the effort it took to hunt him down. “I would rather not risk my uncle catching you next,” he said as he removed the demon’s mask. He bit his lip, for it was indeed a terrible sight. Then he tucked the mask in the fold of his own robes and said, “Now you won’t be able to give me more trouble.”

Within the hour, the prince of conjurers stirred awake. He wriggled in his bonds and livid, cursed the captain’s name. “You’re a cheat and a blasted fool!” he cried, “you did not best me and you’ve no right to keep me here- let me go or you shall meet a terrible end!” Without his mask, the captain knew it was an empty threat. He said:

“It was most unfortunate how our battle went,   
For it was truly the best I had ever fought,   
And if not for my wretched uncle’s wish,   
We would know for sure whose victory was meant,   
But I did not prolong your life to torment your hide,   
I only wished you hear what I have to say:   
Let us work as one to make my uncle pay.”

The daeva thought over what the captain said and thought, “He drives a good bargain but I’ve little reason to trust these gods.” He replied:

“Your bloodline betrayed me once,   
Tricked me into court and laughed behind my back,   
But I see that the old Shah did the same to you,   
And though I know myself the winner of our fight,   
It would surely displease the pompous fool to know,   
I had bested his nephew for the final blow.”

The Heavenly Captain smiled, but remembering his tied limbs, the daeva growled and said, “I did not agree yet. You best prove yourself loyal to the new master of Ma-Zanda-Ran.” At that, the captain asked, “You wish me to call you master? It’s rather hard when you’re bound at my feet. I could do anything I wished to you and there’s very little you could do to retaliate.” And at that, the daeva said, “I know that, you blasted fool! Prove it to me in another way.”

The captain thumbed his beard and said, “Very well. What would you have me do?” The daeva, thinking himself smart, said, “It would surely shock the divine idiot if a creature as lowly as myself tarnished his nephew’s blood.” He inched closer to the Heavenly Captain, and putting on his ugliest grin, said, “Take me into your bed and allow me to wallow in the pleasures of your flesh.”

In truth:

The villain knew the vanguard would refuse,   
He wanted to see the captain’s courage fall,   
For that offer was so vile and strange,   
The Heavenly Captain would surely cut him free,   
And run back to Alum-Kah.

Instead, the Heavenly Captain stroked the demon’s brow and thought, “What an ugly thing he is. Surely he’s never known the touch of a lover. I suspect this is only a bluff. Well, we shall see.” He clenched the Masked Daeva’s chin in his hand and said, “Very well. I will take you back to Mount Alum-Kah and throw you upon my bed. Rest assured:

I will grind you open like a peach,   
And you will moan upon my sheets,   
When I part you like feathers split,   
My name will be all you say,   
Once I force this hymn from your lips,   
And between your struggling hips.”

The daeva’s wretched skin turned a strangely shade of pink. He did not expect the noble captain to acquiesce. Indeed, he had never known another’s touch nor the kiss of heavenly lips. But unsure if the captain meant to follow through, he glared and said, “I have no time for silly lies! If you dare touch my monstrous flesh, then do so now! You would be the first, you know.”

The Heavenly Captain pursed his lips, a thin smile upon his face. He said, “Then let us think of this as your virginal wedding night. This unholy union would surely sting my uncle’s heart.” He had grown rather fond of this ugly fiend, as an opponent if not a lover, and the captain would make do on his promise should that humbug agree. The villain felt the same, but did not wish to admit he burned for the heavenly vanguard. 

They say desire is kindled in the net of time,   
A slow pleasure that grows rich past prime.

“Whatever you say, you blasted fool,” the prince of conjurers said at last, a short humph on his lips, “I’m an impatient person so you best swear your loyalty now.” The Heavenly Captain took the bound daeva into his arms and looked in the direction of Mount Alum-Kah. “Then you best not regret your words,” he told the fallen demon.

This is how the next hymn goes:

[ _ The rest of this passage has been removed from Christine Daae’s translation. See  _ [14] _ 1925 Editorial notes of Cheng Bai-Xing. See  _ [15] _ 2010 Curriculum Debate. Daae removed the hymn ( _ **_The Heavenly Vanguard Marks His Hunt, The Prince of Conjurers Submits_ ** _ ) in order to create a more pristine narrative. For the complete edition of  _ **_Western Dreams of the Blossom Court_ ** _ , see Marguerite Giry’s 1890 translation.  _ [16] _ Editor’s note: Giry’s edition was not reprinted until 2001. It was widely criticized as a piece of meritless porn, but has since been recognized as an integral part of the Rosy Hymns. _ ]

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope that was fun for you! Feel free to leave comments/kudos!


End file.
